A Boy and His Demon
by FromTheDepthsOfInsanity
Summary: Urameshi Yuusuke, age ten, had been going through changes in his life. The cause? A mystery man named Jaganshi Hiei he met and helped while trying to get home. He's been in Yuusuke's life for about a year. Awkward moments ensue. HxY; Slight AU
1. The Meeting and The Troubles

**Author's Note:** I finally decided to edit this very old fic of mine in response to a review made a while ago about a 'sea of paragraphs.' I completely agree that, upon reviewing this work of rubbish, it's a little hard to read. I'm going to try my best to edit this to something a little bit more manageable and mature. Of course, not much will change about it.  
**Warnings:** Yaoi/shounen-ai/boyxboy, HieixYuusuke, shoutacon, a bit of an AU, and small children being eaten alive.  
**Summary:** Urameshi Yuusuke, age ten, had been going through changes in his life. The cause? A mystery man named Jaganshi Hiei he met and helped while trying to get home. He's been in Yuusuke's life for about a year and tension is quite high between them, but is it really bad tension? As Yuusuke struggles to understand the quiet demon, the demon struggles to control himself around the boy...  
**Disclaimer:** Yu Yu Hakusho and all its wonderfully wonderful characters belong to Yoshihiro Togashi and his brilliance.

**PART ONE OF TWO CHAPTERS  
A BOY AND HIS DEMON  
A HIEIXYUUSUKE STORY**

* * *

_The swing set creaked a sorrowful song as a young boy, age nine, swung his legs lazily. It happened again. His mother found another boyfriend and brought him home. He didn't want anything to do with the boy at all. They both wanted each other gone, but the boy knew he would win. Boyfriends never lasted more than a week in his house. This time was no different. His mother was dumped. Plain and simple. Her so called 'boyfriend' had had a wife and three children of his own. He told her he didn't need a 'drunken bitch' and a 'wild animal' to add to his 'list of shit he didn't want.'_

_ When he left, she went out to the bar with her friends, leaving her boy completely alone in the wake of the argument. The only place he could go to was the park, and there he was now, watching other families have fun and get along. They were all leaving to go back to their homes now. The sun was setting. He had no 'home' to go to._

_"Stupid people." He muttered into the breeze._

_How long was he to sit there? Until his mother came to find him? _

_Yeah. That would happen. _

_He sighed sadly and hopped off his swing. His shadow was long against the earth. It was getting late, and he needed to get to safety. He knew what dangers there were after dark. He gathered up his jacket and bag and began to walk. He would have to go through the woods if he was going to get home before it was completely dark. _

_Out the park's gate he went and down the sidewalk. There were no cars zooming past him on the unpaved road, and the silence was deafening. He hated the silence; he hated the 'great outdoors' even more. He kicked at a can as he walked. Why did he even come here? It was so far away from the city. _

_A soft shuffle stopped him in his tracks. He looked up from his feet. Three teenagers loomed over him with sneering faces. His eyes narrowed._

_"Hey there, little guy. Where you off to?" The middle man said._

_The boy didn't answer him. He only continued to glare._

_"Looks like he's not gonna talk to us, boss." One of the others spoke up._

_"I guess we'll have to fix that then."_

_Devilish smirk spread across the trio's features as they stepped closer to the boy, moving as one entity with glittering fangs and a forked tongue. He didn't back down as they neared. His honey brown eyes darted around the area before settling on the men in front of him. A smug look passed over his features before he darted in between the middleman's legs and taking off as fast as he could. He could hear the shouts in alarm and anger behind him. He didn't have time to deal with stupidity. He had enough of that at home._

_ In a couple sharp turns and a few shortcuts, the boy found himself on the edge of the woods. The teenagers were still hot on his heels as he ran straight into the shadowy darkness. The trees were dense and the settling night denser. He knew these woods inside and out, but it would be too hard to find his way if it got too dark. He growled in frustration as he darted to the left to avoid one of the goons grabbing him. _

_Why are humans so persistent? _

_In his attempt at retreat, he didn't notice himself straying from the path and the more he ran, the farther he got from it. Soon enough, the teens gave up their search, and the boy was left alone._

_The darkness of night settled down on the woodland. No light penetrated through the canopy above him. The boy was completely, helplessly lost. The effort from running for so long weighed down on his tiny frame like hundreds of weights. All he could do now was wander, and wander he did. He desperately tried to retrace his steps to find the path he so longed to find. He never panicked as he roamed through the shadows. It wasn't the first time he had gotten lost and he was sure it wouldn't be his last. _

_Hours seemed to tick by instead of seconds and a nighttime chill hardened the already harsh area. Shivers were race cars running through the tracks of his body. Hope was utterly lost from him. He never had believed in miracles. He only believed in chance and luck. His luck apparently had ran out on him at the setting of the sun. All he could do now was drop his things and fall asleep wherever he could. He would have to find somewhere comfortable to rest for the night and so he pressed on._

_Ten minutes at the most passed before he wanted to give up. He was completely filthy, and his clothes were torn. Not to mention he had fallen into a creek, so he was soaked. Growling, he decided to plop down where he stood and stubbornly crossed his arms and legs. Anger radiated from him in waves._

_"This whole day has been as stupid as hell," He murmured to himself._

_A flash of yellow lit up the surroundings, and a loud clap of thunder ripped through the silence. Rain came down in buckets. The boy growled deeply in anger before hightailing it to a nearby tree. It was unsafe for him to stay under it. It would be best if he found the trail as quickly as he could. _

_The rain beat down on him as he ran and rivulets streamed down his face into his eyes. Another flash of lightning struck the ground with a bang. The boy, startled by the sudden explosion, jumped violently and darted in the opposite direction. He closed his eyes to the rain and just ran. For the first time in his life, he really wanted to be at home. Another roar from the thunder sounded and the boy slipped in the mud, grabbing at anything that was there. He expected the trunk of a tree or a bush, but instead, he felt cloth. Looking up, squinting through the water rushing over his face, he saw a figure looming over him. His eyes instantly narrowed at it and he stood, backing away._

_"And what are you doing in my territory?"_

_A flare shot through the sky and the figure's features lit up magnificently. The figure was only slightly taller than the boy, but he was noticeably older. He was dressed completely in black from head to toe. Fair skin, spiked black hair, and red eyes all adorned him. The boy snorted and braced himself for a fight._

_"This is a public place, ass. It's not yours." The boy replied._

_"Hn. Little boys should know their place."_

_The glint of metal shined brightly in the shadows. The boy's eyes widened. He never fought anyone with a weapon before. He backed up involuntarily and stared at the man. He searched him with his eyes looking for anything he might use against him, anything at all. In his surveying, he noticed a trickle of red leaking slowly from the man's shoulder and steadily hitting the ground. Thinking quickly, the boy gulped and thought of an easy escape._

_"Wait!" The boy shouted. "You're hurt. If you're going to fight me, then shouldn't you be in perfect condition?"_

_The man hesitated for the briefest second before giving the boy an amused smirk. A low chuckle escaped the man's throat before laughter erupted from him._

_"This is the first time a human has ever made me laugh. I could kill you even if I had a blade through my heart. This wound is nothing more than a paper cut to me." Another chuckle came from the man. "Prepare to die, human."_

_"Human? What are you if you're not human?"_

_"I find that none of your concern."_

_Within a second, the man's blade was drawn high above his head and ready to strike down the boy. The boy gasped in fear and fell back onto his bottom. Fear ran rampant through his systems and tears sprang to his eyes. He never knew how frightening it would be to stare death in the face. His tears mingled in with the water. His body tensed and froze on the spot. He couldn't die yet. It just wasn't fair! He was only nine!_

_"Death has no regards for age, boy." The stranger said as if reading the boy's thoughts._

_The man began to swing down at the boy. His first instinct kicked in. His arm raised up to fend off the blow, and his eyes shut up tight waiting for the pain from the attack to hit him. The pain never came. The blade of the sword had stopped just a few centimeters from the boys head. The man had stopped his attack. _

_The boy's frame shook with fear. One chocolate brown eye cracked open to see what had happened. There the man stood paused as if he were a statue with his blade still hovering over the boy's head. A questioning look passed over the boy's face as he opened both eyes. _

_Why had he stopped? _

_The man slowly withdrew and sheathed his sword. Just as silently as he had pulled himself together, he began to walk off. The boy sat dumbfounded as he watched the man walk. Reality suddenly hit him and he was instantly up on his feet._

_"Wait! Don't go!"_

_The man stopped, but kept his back to the boy. His head turned just enough for the boy to see a carmine iris glaring at him from the corner of the man's eye. He tensed again, but was determined to stay in control of his fear._

_"If," He paused searching for his voice. "If you help me get home, I'll treat your wound. I can't stay in this place forever! You don't want me to stay, right? You have no choice but to help me get home!"_

_"What kind of idiot are you?"_

_The boy gaped at the man and narrowed his eyes at the stranger tightening his lips into a thin line. His hands balled into fists as the man continued._

_"I was just about to kill you and now you ask me for help. What if I was waiting for you to say something so I could hear your voice one more time before you screamed as you died?" A low chuckle came from the man. "Tell me, do you have a name, human?"_

_The boy stuttered. "Umm. . . Urameshi. Urameshi Yuusuke."_

_"Well, Urameshi Yuusuke, I think we have an concurrence. I agree to your terms for the time being. Come. Follow me."_

_The man began to walk off into the distance with a dumbfounded boy standing in his wake. Snapping back, Yuusuke quickly went after him and followed him silently the whole way._

* * *

That was a year ago. . . Before everything started to get complicated.

My whole world began to twist since he decided to stay. My mother has sworn herself off men for the rest of her life. She's stuck to her vow for a little more than three months now. I never thought I would see the day when Mom stayed true to her word. I guess she's trying to make my life easier. So she's finally decided to look out for me, eh? I wonder if she remembered my birthday this year. It's today. She hasn't said anything. I guess my dumb luck has to have an end to it sometime.

I've also grown a little bit. I'm a little over 137 centimeters now, but I'm still not as tall as he is. Who's 'He,' you ask? He's the man I met in the forest. His name is Hiei; Jaganshi Hiei. He's another basket case that I've gotten stuck with. He's antisocial, always has hateful remarks, and I suspect he might have some, as Ma often says, 'in the closet' tendencies. Nothing out of the ordinary here folks.

I'm staring out the window right now, just waiting for him to show up. Mom isn't home, and I'm starting to feel lonely. I'll leave the window open for him and go do something mindless for a little while. Saturday morning cartoons are always fun and time consuming. Maybe if I don't think about him, he'll show up.

I walk into the hallway with my little socked feet padding against the hard carpet floor. Everything's silent. I can hear the apartment breathing. I make it to the kitchen where I start to scrounge around for food. Mom and I need to go grocery shopping again. All I manage to find are Hello Panda cookies and butterscotch drops. They'll have to do. I jump over the back of the couch and plop down on the cushions while turning on the TV with the remote. Cartoons suddenly blast onto the black screen with full vengeance.

Stuffing my face with sugary junk food, I didn't even notice a certain someone enter the room and sit next to me. With a blank stare, I let the TV's hypnotic waves burn my retinas. A hand reached out and grabbed my chin while I was in mid-swallow. My gaze was brutally diverted from the TV towards two deep, annoyed pools of red. I coughed and sputtered as the butterscotch tried to force its way back up my throat. My throat contracted horribly, not knowing whether to force the candy up or help it go down. I tried to breathe with no avail. A hard hit to the back made me gasp and swallow the treat. I inhaled air like there was no tomorrow and glared crossly at my surprise visitor. He still had a hold of my face.

"Don't ignore me."

Ignore him? How the hell am I supposed to know he's here when he's so damn quiet all the time? He could have said 'hello' or tapped me or something instead of grabbing my face and nearly killing me with a butterscotch drop! I snort at him and try to pull away. He doesn't allow it, and his deadly stare narrows. I grab his wrist and try to jerk his hand away from my face. I fail miserably and start to yell at him.

"Let go, Hiei!"

He stared at me like I'm stupid for a long moment before his grip on my chin started to loosen and finally let go all together. I jerk my head away from him and angrily glare at the TV with my eyes darting back to him every now and then, just daring him to do or say something. He leaned his back against the couch and crossed his arms. His eyes slowly fell closed. This is the first time I've seen him so relaxed. I stuffed my face with the last of the Hello Panda cookies and sat back with him.

"So why did you come here?"

"Hn."

"That's not an answer."

He didn't reply me. Hello awkward silence! It's me again! How the hell are you?

The butterscotch drops call to me again. I pull one out and stare at for a long moment. I wonder if Hiei's ever eaten one before. I shift my position and lean over Hiei's lap with my hand outstretched. Pinched between my forefinger and thumb is a tiny piece of candy. Gently, I press it to his lips and past them. His eyes instantly snap open in surprise. Rage boiled the red pools into lava. I withdrew with the wrath of Hell descending upon me. He spit the treat out and glared at me harshly. His upper lip twitched in annoyance as I just smiled and scratched the back of my head.

"Don't ever do that again."

I rolled my eyes. That only makes me want to do it more. I took out another drop and held it out to him. He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity; possibly annoyance. One of the two. I pushed it toward his lips a bit with my lips pursed in rising anger. He only rolled his eyes at me and shook his head.

Jerk.

I hit him as hard as I could in the arm with my free hand and half crawled into his lap pushing the candy in his face more. His lip twitched again. A warning growl rumbled deep in his throat. I could feel the echoing vibrations.

"Come on! Just try it, ya chicken!"

He stayed silent and turned his head away from my hand. My cheeks swelled up in a fit of rage. I plopped back onto my spot on the couch and sunk down into the cushions as far as I possibly could. I could feel the angry burn in my cheeks as I buried my hands into the pits of my arms and crossed my legs Indian style. I did this often when I didn't get my way. I usually wouldn't talk to the person for hours and sometimes days on end until they either apologized, got me what I wanted/did what I wanted them to, or smacked me.

Normally, I'd end up smacked, but that never stopped me from pitching a fit.

The sugar globule pinched between my fingers was beginning to melt. I pulled my hand out from under my arm and stared at it before shoving it into my mouth fingers and all. I didn't even get to taste the candy before Hiei grabbed my face and forced me to face him. Our noses were touching. He made me pull my fingers from my mouth. My brows frowned, and I parted my lips to curse at him, but I was cut off before I could begin. His lips crushed down against mine. His eyes closed as mine doesn't begin to describe what I was feeling. There was nothing else but me and him. Corny, yes, but that's the only way to really begin to describe it.

My angry blush quickly turned into embarrassment. I couldn't bring myself to move. Out of fear, out of a fit of insanity, out of not really wanting to beat him about he head and neck severely until his IQ test results came back negative, I didn't move a muscle. I think my heart stopped for a moment. I know I stopped breathing. A foreign noise escaped my throat as my breathing tried to pick up again right after I started to realize my heart was still beating. Hiei still had a hold of my face and now was forcing me to keep myself perfectly still. Only after I squirmed and was rigidly tied down, did I realize his tongue was moving inside my mouth.

Three. . . Two. . . One. . .

I held my hands up to his shoulders and pushed him away with all my strength. Amazingly enough, he was pushed back with his face impassive and unreadable. Just what the hell was that about? Still blushing, I reached up and pressed my fingers to my lips. They tingled and prickled, and I still felt his against mine. I gulped and we stared at one another.

He licked his lips and snickered at me, "You have good tastes after all."

Good tastes? Oh, the candy. I couldn't bring myself to be angry again. Hiei, that bastard, had stolen my first kiss.

"You-!" I tried, but had to stop and catch my words. "You're terrible! If you wanted to try one, I have a bag, stupid!"

My words were weak. I wasn't mad enough to really yell at him. A light laughter hit my ears. I looked up at Hiei and his content face. I wish I had the drive to punch him.

"You told me to try it," He said.

"I didn't tell you to kiss me!"

Another low chuckle came from him. He was enjoying this too much. I swore to get his ass good later.

"No. You told me to try the piece of candy and since you tried to eat it, I went after it. I'd be damned before I ate it from your dirty, little human fingers."

There it was.

My teeth ground against each other, and my fingernails dug crescent-shaped caverns into my palms. I plopped back on my ass and flung myself backwards on my back. With my screams muffled by my own lips, I kicked and thrashed on the floor. A low, amused laughter rang throughout the small room, but it was quickly cut short. The front door opened and keys hitting the counter played. The shuffle of grocery bags, and a woman's sigh followed afterward. I was still pitching a fit in the den with Hiei nowhere in sight.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mom shouted.

"NOTHING!" I screamed.

She sat next to me and made me sit up. A dark bottle was in her hand. More booze of course. With the flick of her thumb the cap popped off, and she took a long drink of it. I was still seething over Hiei's little escapade to care what she was doing, Her fingers ran through my hair as she looked down at me. Well, that was new; maybe, not new, but she hasn't done that since I was little.

My anger drained from me, and I stared up at her curiously. She was smiling. Her fingers continued to run through my hair and dance over my cheeks. I leaned against her and let her touch me. Moments like this were rare in my home, and I wasn't going to let the moment just pass by even if I was still a tiny bit angry. I closed my eyes as her fingertips traced paths through my hair and over my face and neck. She took another long drink from her bottle and relaxed back into the couch.

"What got your panties in a bunch?"

"I don't wear panties."

"Yuusuke."

"Hmph." I paused and then muttered. "Hiei pissed me off."

A smack came down on my mouth. It was only hard enough to send a sting through it, but it was enough to tell me Mom didn't want to hear me swear right now. I rubbed at my mouth to make the sting go away before Mom started to run her fingers through my hair again.

"Your imaginary friend again, huh?"

"He's not imaginary. He just doesn't like to be seen by people."

That's gonna make her believe me. She probably thinks I'm going insane. Maybe I'll ask Hiei to meet Mom sometime. That'll throw her for a loop. Mom leaned down and planted a quick kiss to my forehead.

"I have a surprise for you, kiddo."

She pushed herself off the couch and walked into the kitchen, looking back at me as a signal to follow. I got up and followed in her footsteps. My nosiness getting the better of me, I stood on my tiptoes to look at the bags on the counter. Mom slowly started to unpack everything. A carton of milk and a small carton of cream was set on the counter along with a case of a dozen eggs. A bag of chips, apples, snack foods, bread, and pudding all followed. There was nothing of interest to me. I grunted and lowered my feet back onto the ground. She only called me so I would help put away groceries. I crossed my arms and turned to walk off. Her hand came down gently on my shoulder. I turned to her. She was smiling again and holding something behind her back.

"You didn't get your surprise, Yuusuke."

I blinked and tried to see what she hid. From behind her back, she pulled out what looked like a stapler and a gun combined. It was all white and had a small, sharp point a little bit before the end of it in a section that looked like it had been cut out. I gave my mother an odd look. She was fiddling with a small box in her other hand and popped it open with a loud snap and crack.

I did just that while looking at her from the corners of my eyes. She put something on the sharp, metal tip and gently grabbed my earlobe, holding it outwards away from my head. She put the gun near my ear and I felt the coolness of metal against it. With a squeeze of the trigger and a loud pop, a tiny spear went through my earlobe. I jerked back and my hand flew to my ear, putting pressure on it. It didn't hurt really. It felt like someone had pinched me. I felt my earlobe to see if I was bleeding, but my groping fingers were met with something entirely different. On one side, I felt a smooth, flat surface and on the other a dullish tip with two chilly bumps holding it steady. I went over to the magnet mirror on the refrigerator and was met with an earring pierced through my ear. It was in the shape of a silver-blue bird with it's wings spread wide open. I fingered it for a moment, not really knowing what else to do. My mother cleared her throat.

"Do you like it?"

I looked at her with a smile and nodded before muttering that my ear was sore.

"It'll be like that for a couple days. You have to keep it clean, you hear? I don't want to take you to the hospital and have to have to pay to get your ear removed or something."

Nice way of saying "Glad you like it," Mom. She pulled out her cigarettes and lit up in the kitchen. The sweet smell of tobacco wafted throughout the area. I always wondered if the smoke tasted as good as it smelt. I really liked the smell.

She started to dig through another bag she had hidden behind the others. My eyes widened and so did my smile. A CAKE! She got me a cake! It was covered with vanilla icing and sprinkles and it had 'Happy Birthday Yuusuke' written across it in thick, blue icing. I gaped at it for a minute as mom set it down on the table and pulled out ten candles. Each candle was teal and put all around the perimeter of the cake. Mom took out her lighter and lit each one. I hopped into my chair. I can't remember the last time I had a real cake with a real present from mom.

The excitement in me was spilling over into the whole room, filling it and threatening to flood out into the streets. Carefully, Mom scooped up the cake and set it down in front of me. The lights were turned out and the candle flames cast shadows across the wall. Mom came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, slowly whispering the Happy Birthday song into my ear. I don't think the smile could have possibly be wiped from my face.

Until the door opened. I was just about to blow out the candles. Everything was going so perfectly.

"Long time, no see, squirt."

I heard my mother gasp slightly next to me. I made myself look up. _He_ was standing in the doorway. It had been five years since I last saw the man. I still remember him perfectly, and he hadn't changed in the least. The same dark hair I inherited and the dark eyes that I didn't. He set a wrapped package in front of me and smiled his best. I regret to say, I had his smile too. I looked away from him and recoiled into my chair. Mom stood up straight next to me. I wanted to just get up and leave. No. I wanted him to leave so I could go back to my happiness, but that wasn't going to happen. The fight was inevitable, and I wouldn't be able to stop it.

"Happy birthday." He said happily.

I decided to go with my instincts. I blew out the candles quickly on my cake and hopped out of my seat. I didn't get far at all. _He_ grabbed me and forced me to stop.

"Where ya goin', squirt? You don't have to leave."

"I really think he does." My mother harshly chimed in. "Yuusuke, go to your room. I'll come get you in a minute."

"I'm not allowed to see my own child now?"

"From what I remember, you said that he wasn't even yours! Now let him go to his room!"

"He doesn't have to leave! I came here to celebrate my son's birthday with him and I plan to do just that!"

"And what the hell brought this on? You haven't shown up for his last nine!" Her voice was suddenly gargled by my own hearing.

I didn't want to hear anymore. I jerked my arm out of his grip. _He_ didn't even notice. Mom didn't notice. I walked down the hall, my little socked feet padding against the floor, and went into my room and shut the door. I didn't know how long they fought. I didn't notice the time ticking away at all. I didn't notice anything. I heard my name being called distantly. It slowly brought me back to reality. I didn't turn to the voice, but acknowledged the fact that I had heard the person. It was Hiei. I knew that instantly. I could see his looming figure in my window.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you care?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't care."

"I don't think it's any of your business."

I could almost imagine the look on his face. I heard him growl in warning. No one ever stood up against Hiei from what I had picked up from his vibes. I guess there's a first for everything. I hugged my knees and glared nastily at my pillow, hoping that maybe it would burst into flames and those flames would climb up the walls and consume the house, forcing my 'parents' to drop their dumb ass argument and get over themselves. I began to grind my teeth. I felt Hiei behind me.

"Get away from me."

He didn't listen. He actually got closer to me.

"I said get away from me!" I yelled.

I was pulled into probably the most awkward hug I'd ever received. My face was against his chest. His arms wrapped around me ineptly. It was like he'd never gave anyone a hug before. His fingers began to play with the hair on the nape of my neck. I shivered. Mom was the only one that ever did that and she only did it when I was really upset. I began to wonder if he watched us, stalked us.

My eyes drooped. I wanted to hug him back, but forced myself not to. I listened to the air get drawn into his lungs and felt the rise and fall of his chest. What I didn't hear was a regular heartbeat. It was so slow that it was almost nonexistent. Irritation rose up in my stomach. I suddenly pushed him away and glared.

"Don't! Just go away! This is none of your business!"

He stared at me for a long moment. His face was unreadable as usual. His eyes closed and he rose from the bed suddenly.

"You're right," He paused. "For once. It is none of my business."

And with that, he disappeared. I continued to glare at the spot where he once stood not realizing the idiocy of my actions. The yelling in the background had stopped. I decided that it was okay for me to leave my room. When I did, neither of them were there. I knew where they went. _He_ had gone back home to his new and better family. Mom had gone to the bar. I was left alone again. There was no point in me staying here anymore. I dressed quickly and grabbed my shoes. I slid them on slowly, debating whether I should really leave the house or not. Hiei might want to come back and talk, but at the thought of him, I suddenly didn't care and viciously tied my shoes and left.

* * *

I just let my feet take me wherever they wanted to go. I can't really remember everywhere they took me. I was so mad then I couldn't have cared less where I went. Damn my dad for even coming to 'check up on me.' He never showed up at my last nine birthdays even when he was still living with mom; why did he start now? Responsibility just doesn't set in overnight. He had a good reason to come even if it was only to piss my mother off and make me more miserable.

And then there was Hiei. Guilt set in on me. I shouldn't have yelled at him. He did nothing wrong. I walked into the forests where I first met him with my arms wrapped around my torso. Feeling terrible was only a mild description of what I really felt. I came to a creek and squatted down next to it. It wasn't flowing as well as it should. The creek was drying up because of the drought we've been having.

I bet the creek feels as crappy as I do. There's no life swimming in the water. I can see only rocks. I wonder if creeks ever feel lonely. I hug my legs as I stare down at the shrinking flow. I feel sorry for it. I don't want to leave its side. Does Hiei feel obligated to stay by my side too?

"I'm sure that's not the reason."

I wheeled around only to nearly collide heads with a man. A gentle smile was on his face as he knelt down to my height. His purple gaze was fixed on mine with a happy glow radiating from them. He had mahogany hair tied up in a high ponytail. His bangs covered one of his eyes. I stared at him in confusion. Did he read my thoughts? He laughed lightly.

"I've had the ability since I was young. Unfortunately, I cannot really control it." I nodded as he talked to me. "Who is Hiei?"

"He's a friend of mine. I don't think he wants to be my friend anymore. I got mad at him for no reason."

"Ohhh, my sweet child."

Gently, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. My skin began to crawl with disgust. There was something about him that I didn't like; No, there was something I didn't trust. I squirmed violently and glared at the man. I didn't know his name, who he was, and I didn't think I wanted to find out. He stood up to his full height, which was amazing. I clung to him in fear. I must have been almost seven feet off the ground. A low chuckle came from his throat as he stroked the nape of my neck and rested his head on mine.

"I'll be your friend, little one."

I suddenly found my bearings and began to struggle again along with kicking and biting.

"I don't want you to be!" I screamed as I vied.

"That's really too bad," He cooed.

His arms rapidly tightened around me and the pressure on my body became too much for me to bear. A scream in pain escaped me before I had a chance to stop it. My legs kicked at anything and everything. His stomach was my main goal and I kicked him good a couple times. The pressure only continued to increase. My face became red in pain. A hollow, amused laugh vibrated through me from the man.

"I would just give up if I were you, little boy. I have you now! You cannot get away!"

My chest hurt, and it was getting harder to breathe. I had to think of something. Come on Yuusuke! Think, think!

The flesh of the man's arm caught my eye immediately. Hopefully, this worked. I bit down on the man's arm as hard as I could muster, and blood hit the roof of my mouth like a fountain. It gushed down over my chin and spilled over his arm to the ground. The yell in pain he gave was more like a roar. He flung his arms open so fast that I couldn't hang onto him to keep my bite digging into him.

I went soaring across the open area before hitting the trunk of a tree. My back arched around from the truck as I felt the splintering pain rip through me. Multiple cracks rang through the clearing. I began to fall to the ground and my body twisted awkwardly in pain. I felt like I was free-falling. The ground seemed so far away until I actually hit it. My elbow connected first and bent under the pressure. My arm snapped loudly, and the giant man continued to roar in pain. I didn't have time to reflect on my own before I got up and ran.

I held my arm and felt a warm liquid ooze over my hand. I panted and pumped my legs as hard as I could, but I couldn't get away. I was too slow. The man got me again and hauled me off the ground until I was eye to eye with him. His eyes no longer held warmth. His purple irises were dark and cold and were endless in their hatred. I couldn't pull my eyes awake from his.

He blinked slowly. I did not.

Fear ran rampant through my limbs. I began to shake and shiver. I even curled into a ball while suspended in the air. The man smirked at me. His fangs gleamed as he opened his mouth with a hiss.

"I'll show you pain,"

His tongue poked out from between jaws, and he brought me closer. Slowly, his tongue ran over up my forearm, lapping up the blood as it made its journey up to my wound. It was only then did I notice my bone sticking out at odd angle. My stomach contracted in a dry heave.

Another hiss escaped from his mouth as the tip of his tongue slowly dipped into the wound before pressing further into it. The pain I felt was unbearable. My body jerked and writhed. Tears sprang into my eyes and ran down my face. An excruciating ache pelted through me with every little movement his mouth made.

The torture seemed to go on forever. My screams went unanswered. He pulled away sharply making his fangs scrape against me. My arm bled more. My vision began to swim. I was about to pass out. My body went slack and my eyes dulled. I was so tired that I could barely muster up enough energy to breathe. I stared blankly at the man holding me, mostly because I couldn't make out his features anymore. A chuckle came from him; or at least, I think it was a chuckle. All the sounds I was hearing were distant and muddled.

"There's a good boy."

His fingers buried themselves in my hair and gripped hard. As his other hand let me go, my body jerked and my scalp screamed. His hand in my hair was the only thing keeping me off the ground. I shook with pain and fear as I felt my shoes, socks, pants, and underwear being slid off. I forced my hands to move and grip the man's wrist. My fingers curled, and their nails scraped across his skin.

It didn't affect him in the least.

His hand traveled to my chest and shredded my shirt completely, letting the ragged ribbons drift slowly to the ground. My body convulsed and jerked. I needed to get away! I was going to die! I was going to die. I was. . . never going to do anything anymore.

Tears streamed down my cheeks like flood waters. I would never see Mom or Keiko or, hell, even Dad ever again! I wouldn't ever see. . . Hiei. . . ever again. How would he react? Would Hiei cry for me? A wet, soft object ran across my jaw line up to my ear. I squirmed away from it shyly.

"Don't worry, little boy. It'll all be over in a minute."

A vicious smirk spread across his whole face. His mouth seemed wider than what it once was. His free hand grabbed my ankles and forced me into the fetal position. My arms were trapped between my knees and my chest. My eyes widened in fear as I saw his mouth open and began to stretch more until it was big enough to fit. . . Me. I found energy deep within me and began to scream into my knees. His hands were holding me too tightly together for me to push up or down and break free. Pathetic whimpers and low whines escaped me. I shut my eyes tight just as I felt a wet warmth around me. . . .

.:To Be Continued:.

* * *

**Author's Note:** There wasn't much I did to this chapter. I removed a lot of extraneous detail and tried to smooth out Yuusuke's wording. Unfortunately, everything I strove for did nothing to improve this, and I apologize for that. Short of rewriting the entire chapter, there's not much else I can do for this either, and, unfortunately again, I have no desire or drive to do so. I've already edited the next chapter, and hopefully it is a little more well-written.

On another note, there is a sequel to this two-shot; it's **Waking a Sleeping** **Giant.** I'm a lot prouder of it than this one, and hopefully, if you give it a chance, it'll be more impressive.

That said, I thank you very much for taking the time to read.


	2. Forgotten?

**Author's Note:** I've gone back and slightly edited this chapter. Hopefully it's a lot less immature now. Again, thank you for the kind reviews you've left me.  
**Warnings:** Yaoi/shounen-ai/boyxboy whatever you feel like using, HieixYuusuke, shoutacon, a bit of an AU-not really but roll with it, and small children being eaten alive.  
**Summary:** Urameshi Yuusuke, age ten, had been going through changes in his life. The cause? A mystery man named Jaganshi Hiei he met and helped while trying to get home. He's been in Yuusuke's life for about a year and tension is quite high between them, but is it really bad tension? As Yuusuke struggles to understand the quiet demon, the demon struggles to control himself around the boy...  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters. I just like to mess with them.

**PART TWO OF TWO CHAPTERS  
A BOY AND HIS DEMON  
A HIEIXYUUSUKE STORY**

* * *

No! No! No! I couldn't die like this! This can't be happening!

The muscles in his throat contracted around me as they slid me deeper into his body. I couldn't kick, I couldn't squirm, I couldn't breathe. I was going to die of suffocation before I even hit his stomach. My body started to heave in an effort to get me breathing. I felt like I was spinning. I was getting lightheaded and dizzier by the second.

_"Somebody, please, don't let me die like this!"_

You're pathetic Urameshi. Absolutely pathetic. You couldn't defend yourself because you're so weak. You deserve to die like this.

. . . Even if that was so, then why is it so hard to accept?. . .

It was the burning I began to feel that snapped me out of my thoughts. My eyes were completely closed and rolled back into my head as the terrible burning began to sear all the skin it could touch. I think I moaned in pain deep in my throat, releasing some precious air. I convulsed. My fingers twitched against my chest. I could hear a contented sigh echo from somewhere in this monster's body. Everything seemed so loud, yet so quiet. Sounds began to grow quieter and quieter and quieter, dulling the pain I was feeling more and more and more until everything went dark.

* * *

I don't remember very much at all. It was only when I came to did anything really sink in, though I didn't register it at all.

_"Where am I?"_ I asked in a whisper. _"Am I dead?"_

My inner voice echoed into the darkness of my mind. Was it exactly in my mind? I couldn't tell. I might have been trapped in purgatory and saw nothing but I wished to see. It was reassuring and disturbing. My body felt sorer than it had ever felt before. I didn't want to move. Every breath, every heartbeat, every small pulse of my veins expanding and contracting as the blood rushed through the small conduits sent me into a hellish ache who's only mission was to make me as miserable as it was. I wished I could just close my eyes again and never wake up until all this pain would go away. Had I even opened my eyes?

_"Yuusuke."_

Someone was whispering to me. Calling out to me. Calling me back. Were they really whispering if they were calling to me? Or was it because my hearing didn't want to be hurt anymore? I took in a breath. It was a sweet drought of caressing wonder on the inner walls of my chest. I smiled slightly and fell deeper into the feeling, forgetting my ache for a split second.

_"Yuusuke!"_ The voice yelled through the darkness.

My ears began to ring as the pain started to seep into my body through them. I didn't want to live through this wretched cycle of Hell and Heaven.

_"My ears. My ears. They hurt. All of me hurts! You're making me hurt!"_

_"Yuusuke! I refuse to play this game any longer with you!"_ Again, the voice called, coaxing me to wake up.

There was a sense of urgency in the person's voice, but also a comforting, familiar sense of stubbornness. I tried to call back to quiet the voice so I could go back to resting. My voice failed me miserably. I willed my fingers to twitch and grasp at the air. Something was running over them, cooling them and me. In fact, something was running over my entire body.

I struggled to find my voice. My breathing was shallow, and my body felt heavy. When did that happen?

I could see light behind my eyes. Wait. Light? Air? Breathing? Comfort? When did all this get here? I was in the belly of a beast. There was none of that here.

Noise began to assault my ears. Everything was muffled just as it was before, but I could hear rushing water and my own breathing. I could even hear the blood rushing through my veins as my heart shallowly beat in my chest. I willed my eyes to open, but it did me little good. The fuzziness of everything made me want to close my eyes again.

Where was I now? It definitely wasn't the stomach of that jackass. I must have died. I had heard tales of Eden , a fantastic garden in which the first man and woman lived, a place of happiness and paradise. If this was Eden, why was I here? It was for perfect people, people who had committed their lives to being good and just and helped others selflessly. I was definitely not a perfect person. Very far from it in fact.

_"Hold your breath."_ The voice whispered.

Where was that voice coming from and who was it? I knew that voice. I knew I knew it. I could feel warmth cupping my cheeks. I knew this warmth. I trusted it.

I took in a breath and held it. My head suddenly went under the water. I tried to move. As if getting eaten wasn't bad enough, someone wanted me to drown. Bubbles began to rise to surface of the water from my mouth. I was quickly running out of air, but I was too weak to struggle for more.

I felt myself being lifted up to the surface with the bubbles suddenly. I coughed lightly and looked around in a daze. The cycle of Heaven and Hell was beginning again. Eat me, save me, drown me, save me. What's next?

I felt something slid under me and lift me up. A ragged moan escaped my lips as soreness racked my limbs again. Don't move me anymore. I can't take it.

I was pressed against something warm and living. The person's warmth began to soothe my aches. I blinked and tried to clear my vision. I could barely muster enough energy to look up at the person holding me.

"Where am I?" I rasped.

The figure didn't answer me right away. I could feel his gaze piercing my skin, my pathetic broken self. I could see the red of his irises and the black tower of his hair. He pulled me as close as he could. Gods, he was so warm. I snuggled as deep as I could into his chest and clung to his clothes. My eyes closed again, and I began to breathe deeply. I heard Him sigh. His hands moved across my body, warming every inch they touched as they did. I gasped as his fingers brushed my mutilated arm.

'Don't touch there!' I wanted to scream.

"This will be painful, but if you want to use your arm again, we'll have to do it."

I was moved so my back was pressed against his chest. The soreness from the movement hit me again. I hummed lowly. His hand gripped my arm tightly. I began to squirm.

"Nooo." I whined as I tried to push his hand off.

His grip tightened. His other hand joined the one already attached to my arm and pulled. Pain sheered my skin. A scream ripped through me. It wasn't loud. It couldn't be called a scream, a cry maybe, but not a scream.

"NO! Stop! That hurts!" I found myself yelling, if it could even be considering yelling anymore.

His hand jerked my arm again, and again I screamed. I felt one of his hands released my arm and press into my wound. My vision went white for a split second from the pain. My breath caught in my throat. My hand faltered in its attempt to make the person's hands stop. Splintering noises hit my ears. I paid no attention. All the sounds and sights were entirely forgotten as the hurt spread through me.

With a loud snap, his fingers withdrew, but his hand clamped down around the wound tightly, applying an immense pressure. My breathing caught up with me. It was deep and fast. I felt his free hand gently cup my chin and force me to look up at him. He was so close to my face.

"You're more trouble than you're worth."

His lips gently rested on my cheek just under my right eye. His breathing tanned my skin and forced my eyes to close. I had been completely exhausted for the second time today. At least, I think this all happened in the same day. I couldn't tell. I closed my eyes completely and let a hiccup escape my throat.

"You're lucky I came when I did, Yuusuke," is all I heard before I fell back into my peaceful, secure dreamland.

* * *

It must have been hours and hours before I woke up again. There was no voice to rouse me this time, thankfully. I wasn't forced awake. I didn't feel surrounded by unfamiliar things. I was in a bed. The soft coolness of the sheets rested against my back as the comforter rested on my chest, hugging me gently. I could tell that I was naked from the waist up. At least I wasn't completely naked anymore. The soreness that I felt was almost completely gone.

I thanked whoever was listening for it.

I was warm and comfortable in this new environment. Thank you again. My eyes were no longer blurred with pain and fatigue, but there was a slight fog in the air. What was that smell? I couldn't place it.

Slowly, I willed myself to sit up in the bed, no wanting to arouse any pain that may have decided to hide in my body until I moved. There was little to none.

Thank you, thank you.

The entire room was dim. Particles of near-invisible dust danced in the streams of what little sunlight could get in through the curtains. This was my room. It was unmistakable. The green iceberg walls, black sea carpet, and toy cars displayed on the dressers and shelves neatly (surprising, right?) were all mine.

I fisted the comforter under me. I looked down at it immediately and found that it too was mine. The black and green checker pattern was instantly recognizable. Either someone was playing a cruel joke on me and I was actually dead with nothing to look forward to than to spend the rest of eternity in the vision of my room or I was alive and home.

"For an idiot, you're thinking way too damn much."

I instantly looked over to my window from where the voice had come. A familiar figure sat there staring at me with his leg dangling over the edge of the sill into my room. I blinked and sighed slightly in relief. I went to move across the bed towards the window.

"Hi-"

I hugged my torso suddenly. A low moan escaped my lips. Where in the hell did this soreness come from? I sat up just fine. My forehead rested on the bed as I bent over. There was a slight shuffle in disguised warning before I was flung back to my original position. I gasped loudly and continued to hold myself, staring at the ceiling as I did. I heard a sigh and the creak of the bed as Hiei sat down next to me. A hand came down on my head and ruffled my hair. Dark strands twisted and clung to his fingers as he continued to pet my head. The soothing action made me completely forget about the soreness if only for a moment.

"Unfortunately for you, you'll have to wait out the bone mending process. I can only do so much and it doesn't include soldering skeletal parts back together after an idiot's gone and broke them all to hell."

I only nodded and relaxed with my arms still crossed on my chest. I could feel his eyes on me. I was just waiting for him to ask one of the very common questions. To my surprise, he remained silent. I gave him a look which I don't think he saw.

"Well?" I asked.

"Well, what?"

"Aren't you going to yell at me?"

"Do you want me to yell at you?"

"Not particularly."

"Then shut your mouth."

I scoffed and kicked him from under the blanket. He shook his head at my antics. Still, his fingers fiddled and danced in my hair. Why he was still doing it was a mystery to me. His knee began to bounce rapidly.

I tried to turn over so my back was to him. I didn't want him touching me anymore. I didn't even want him near me. Shamefulness washed over me like a tsunami wave. I wondered if Hiei found me because I had been pleading for someone to be my savior. I curled myself into a tight ball. I'd never felt more vulnerable in my life than I had with that man and this one now. I wanted him to leave, if only for a little while, but I wanted him to stay at the same time. I can't remember clearly the last time I had someone look out for me as thoroughly as Hiei has and had. I didn't think it possible to love and hate something so passionately. Ever since otou-san left okaa-san, little Yuusuke has had to take care of himself. Did I want that to change?

**Yes.**

No.

_Maybe._ I'm not sure anymore.

I think the phrase 'enough is too much yet too little' would go perfectly in my situation. The fingers in my hair started to migrate lower to my neck. I could feel them curl around the back of my neck gently as his thumb began to rub just underneath my right earlobe. I tensed. Something was terribly wrong with this picture. I instantly tried to slap his hand away.

"Stop touching me."

"Don't pretend you want me to stop."

"Don't touch me again."

"What do you plan on doing if I do, Yuusuke?"

Damn it. He got me. I shot him a glare and snorted. I pulled the blankets up to my ear and stared at the wall. Maybe if I ignore him, he'll go away.

His hand snaked underneath the comforter and wrapped around my neck gently again. His thumb started to rub the area where my neck and shoulder joined. I squirmed uncomfortably. Hiei's touch wasn't warm like it normally was. It was hot; burning, boiling hot. The blanket was slowly being pulled off me. The coolness of the room weighed down on me heavily. I think I shivered. I could only concentrate on Hiei's hand and tight it seemed to become on my throat as the seconds ticked on.

My teeth chattered, whether from the cold or from fear I'm not certain, as I began to feel myself being pulled up off the bed from my neck. I was slowly being pulled closer to Hiei. I could feel his warmth growing nearer to me. My eyelids wouldn't stop fluttering.

What the hell is wrong with me?

My back was against his chest. His thumb moved toward my chin and forced me to look to the left. My teeth were still chattering.

"I might not see you again for a long while." I could feel his breath on my neck as he talked. "But I promise I'll come back for you. I'll leave you with something very special so you'll be sure to remember me."

"You're-You're leaving, Hiei?"

I swallowed a bit and tried to settle myself. Why was I so unsettled in the first place? I felt something soft rest against the curve of my neck. A light chuckle came from him. I felt his breath again where the softness waited. The velvet touch lifted slightly and a paper-cut like pain replaced it. I shivered again.

"I'll be back. Maybe not within a year, or even two, but I'll come back." He paused. His breath was as hot as his hand now. "I'll hunt you down and make you remember me if you've forgotten. You should feel special, Yuusuke. Not many demons would do this to humans."

"What are you going to do to me?" I think I let some of my fear out in that question.

He didn't answer me. I don't think I really expected him too. As he held me close to his body, securely but loosely, I couldn't help but feel safe and undefended. Yes, vulnerable and protected. I trusted and distrusted him. Something was telling me Hiei wasn't in his right mind. Maybe he's never been in his right mind and only put on a facade for me. My emotional needle quivered in between the two extremes, confused as to which one it should choose. Hiei's breath hitched. A wet, hot surface ran against my neck, leaving a trail of moisture behind it. My needle moved. It pointed to fear.

"Hiei, what are you going to do?" I squeaked.

No answer.

"You better answer me, Hiei."

Still nothing. I managed to move my head enough to catch a glimpse of his face. My eyes widened.

It wasn't Hiei.

It couldn't have been him. His skin had darkened; not tanned, darkened. The red of his eyes seemed to glow brighter next to his skin. Black jagged marks marred his skin from the corner of his eyes. His fangs were elongated and shining.

My needle almost broke the scale. With a shriek, I began to struggle. This wasn't Hiei! I fell over onto the bed with Hiei on top of me. I wouldn't stop screaming. Mom had to be home. She had to be. She would hear me screaming no matter how drunk she was.

Two fingers unexpectedly invaded my mouth and started down my throat. My screams were silenced and replaced with gagging. I choked and sputtered as Hiei's fingers settled. With Hiei's weight holding me down and his fingers silencing my screeches, I was stuck for the second time in perhaps what had been twenty-four hours. I felt his breath on my ear. I shivered yet again because of its warmness.

"Don't be scared. I won't hurt you. As long as you sit still, it won't hurt." His voice was more like a hiss than his usual deep timbre.

His fingers pressed down on my tongue, forever stopping my plan of biting down on those fingers. Even in this state, he knew what I was thinking. I could barely squirm under him. There was only room enough to breathe. He moved back down to my neck and pressed his lips to his chosen spot. His tongue ran across my skin again and again, I felt the paper-cut-like pain there. Slowly, the pain became worse and the pressure on the area increased. I couldn't make a sound. My eyes and nose scrunched as the pain rose.

_One minute. . . _

_Two minutes. . . _

Three minutes passed before the pain started to subside. I felt Hiei shift slightly before starting to pull away. A burning sensation stained my neck. Even after the fact, Hiei didn't get up. His fingers pressed down on my tongue a bit more, allowing air to pass into my lungs more freely. I coughed as they did.

Why hadn't he gotten up? He was done, wasn't he?

A wet plop caught my attention. In my ignorance, I tried to turn my head and see what had caused the noise. Another splash resounded. It was close to my ear. A coolness slowly ran down from the bite on my neck to my collar only to drip onto the bed. I couldn't tell what it was exactly.

Slowly, his fingers began to withdraw, making me cough and gag as they did. He still remained laying on me, licking the bite he gave me. I didn't look at him. I was afraid of what I would see next. The simple action of him licking at the wound had me concentrating on him completely. Fatigue, fear, insecurity, warmth, safety, all these things radiated inside me. I think he felt all these emotions coming from me and fed off them like a starving child. A tense moment passed between us before he finally began to speak.

"I know you're afraid, Yuusuke."

"Don't talk to me." I answered a bit too quickly.

"You will listen to me."

"I don't have to if I don't want to." Again, a little too quick.

"You belong to me now. You'll listen if I say you'll listen."

"I don't want to hear it! Did you save me just to hurt me too! You're just like that other demon!"

I didn't get any warning. I was pulled up to sit on my knees in a flash. The redness and the sting of my cheek were the only things to accompany my shock. My hand went to my cheek and held it tenderly. I couldn't scream at him for what he just did. A pregnant moment of silence passed between us. He began to speak as if nothing had just happened.

"Let me explain what I did."

"I-I don't want to know." I riposted, still in a slight state of shock.

"Yes you do. I know you do."

"I thought you said you were leavi-"

My chin was grabbed, (He was always doing that I now realize. I suppose he thought he had a handle on me when he did.) and I was forced to look at him. He was back to normal as far as I could tell. With a rough jerk, our lips met. His eyes closed. Mine remained stoic.

Somehow, I knew it was coming. I suppose I knew that it would be the only compensation he could possibly give me. I didn't struggle against him. He started to kiss the corner of my mouth, then just under my eye, then my eyelid. As soon as he pulled away, the back of my hand rubbed against the areas gently. I didn't want the feeling of his lips on my skin to linger. He shook his head at me.

"Stubborn."

"And you aren't?"

The comment was meant to be hateful. He seemed pleasantly amused to my contempt. His arms wrapped tightly around me. I turned my head away from him. His lips touched the bite he gave me again. I began to whine slightly.

"This is a very special mark I've given you, Yuusuke." He murmured. "Very, very special."

"It can't be all that damn special if you've given it to me."

"It's a sign that you're mine." He continued without-so-much as a hint that he heard me. "No one else can touch you or they'll die."

I snorted and continued to force myself not to look at him. Silence. That awful, expectant silence. He wanted me to say something to him. I wanted to say something to him, but in my pride -no, in my anger and anguish and oncoming depression and so many other emotions-, I would not say another word. I don't believe I would even say good-bye if he left before I attempted to regain myself; IF I regained myself.

He said nothing and waited for me. I suppose he anticipated surprise from me or some other small expression of what I might, -should-, have felt. His hands moved and rested on my shoulders. His thumbs moved in slow, deep circles. The miniscule calming action wasn't calming at all. There was nothing to calm. Everything was leaving. Spreading. Stretching. Cracking. Opening. Filling. Building upon itself until a wall so tall and high that no one could possibly climb it to look over onto the other side. Not even he could penetrate it at this point.

I wouldn't let him do it; not now, at least. I pulled my shoulders in to shrug his hands off. He clung tight. He didn't want to let me go. I could read his small gestures, whether he realized it or not. He was not unlike all people. What he couldn't say was expressed in what he did. He shared the trait with everyone I knew and everyone I didn't know. It didn't make him any less special, that shared attribute. When had I started thinking about Hiei as being special?

"I'm sorry, Yuusuke."

Two quick jabs to the back of the neck. My body went limp. My jaw went slack. My eyes stared at nothing. I wish I could have reached out and clung to something. Nausea and dizziness. I was losing my balance and I wasn't even moving. Darkness started to stack itself in bricks. Slowly encasing my vision. I felt Hiei's hands let me go. I began to fall to the side. I fought the void for as long as I could. The weight behind me lifted off the bed. I heard the window slide open and the curtains flutter.

* * *

**Hiei's Point of View  
**

A maniacal laughter cut through the nightfall air. Rain pattered around us, my partners and me. The trees, menacing and youthful, stood to bear witness to our deeds. Somehow, nostalgia began set in for maybe the millionth time, possibly even higher than the millionth, in four years.

"Feels great, doesn't it?" I stated as I tested the priceless treasure I had obtained.

I carved into the tree, only grazing it, but it was enough to make it burst into something completely new and different. As I landed safely on my feet, the cry of a low level demon rang through the clearing. The sound of its wings cutting the air, the rhythm of the falling rain, the crackle and explosion of lightning in the distance. With a few small alterations, I could call this place. . . Home. I paid no attention to the demon I had created. I turned and held my prize out in front of me, displaying the power I now had.

"The Koma no Ken turns every human it cuts into a demon! What do you think? With this, I can make a thousand beasts like that!"

That annoying chuckle came from one of my partners as I stood staring at him.

"That's great, Hiei! And I, Goki-sama, will see to feeding them with this Gakidama!"

He swelled with pride as he revealed the other item we had so cunningly obtained. To my right, I could feel my second partner's aura darken. He refused to partake in our enjoyment. It was none of my concern what his _feelings_ were. As long as he held onto the Ankokukyo, his newfound human emotions would have to plague him silently. I would yield no help.

"Then, on the night of the full moon, once we use Kurama's Ankokukyo, ningenkai will be in our grasp!"

I turned to him expectantly. His shadowy figure stirred against the trunk of the tree. Oh how he tried to look human, act so human, but the demon in him showed in so many ways. No HUMAN could conceal themselves so perfectly in the dense shadows as well as Kurama, nor could they move as gracefully. His hands slid into his pockets with ease. He slipped out of the darkness into the small area of light we had constructed.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to let me back out. . ."

If any other person except Kurama had uttered those words, it would have sounded so timid and weak. I would have immediately killed them. Gouki's and my reactions were expected.

"Nani?" We both yelled in unison.

"What is this about, Kurama? You're not telling us you're quitting our gang here, are you?" I demanded answers.

"That's right."

"You coward! While you were concealing yourself, it seems you fell right into your human way of life, haven't you!"

Of course, I already knew the answer to that. The entire time we were in Reikai, during the trip to the vault, in the vault itself, and now afterwards, Kurama refused to take down anyone who stood in the way. (Not that I'm complaining about that.) It was evidence enough to show that he had settled down a bit too nicely with his wretched _human mother._ He was even beginning to smell less and less like a demon and more filthy and inferior.

"We're not obligated to split up the treasure equally with that kind of punk!" Gouki's voice cut through my thoughts. "Now, give back that mirror!"

"I can't do that. I absolutely need this."

"In that case, I'll take it back by force!"

Gouki raised his fist and began to charge at Kurama. I didn't make a move to stop the fight. There was no need to dirty my hands. I knew what the outcome of the fight would be. That's why I myself did not attempt to attack Kurama. Gouki's fist was a mere half-foot away from Kurama. He stood still, waiting for the blow, with an emotionless facade.

"Hold on a second!" A voice cut through the night air.

I immediately turned to it. The sound of it. The pure intensity. I knew that voice. When I turned to look at the owner, however, it wasn't who I imagined. I could feel my heart sink slightly. Why? I couldn't say. Everything had stopped. A young man with dark hair, wearing a ridiculous green jumpsuit, stepped out of the rain into our circle of light holding a branch above him as makeshift umbrella.

"I wonder if you'd allow me to get out of the rain for a bit. I'll have to make you hand over the three treasures. You can bicker amongst yourselves all you want afterward then, thief-san."

He seemed too normal to have knowledge about the three artifacts. There really could have only been one explanation for his knowing.

"How is it that you know about us and the treasures?" I decided to ask, backing up my claim to myself.

"Who the hell are you!"

"I've been waiting to use this line! Won't you be surprised!" He threw the 'umbrella' away from him dramatically. "I'm the Reikai Tantei, Urameshi Yuusuke-sama!"

I was surprised. I forced it not to be shown on my face. I kept my angry scowl. How in the world did this happen? I carefully scanned the boy over. There were definite similarities between him and the Yuusuke I left four years prior. His hair was darker. He had grown, a lot (physically that is. I could tell he was still as childish, stupid, and reckless as ever). I wondered why I didn't see it sooner. His voice was familiar, deepened a bit but still the same really. He stood the same. Smiled the same. Eyes were the same. His smell. I couldn't catch his scent. The rain had hidden it. No wonder I hadn't noticed it was him until now. Now that I'd concentrated on it, I could smell the outdoorsy aroma only Yuusuke had. My scowl deepened angrily at my obliviousness.

"Reikai Tantei?" Gouki questioned behind me.

"He was chosen by Reikai to come after us! I don't feel any spiritual power from him, considering who he is." I explained, still scowling.

"I could take this guy down in one blow!"

Kurama's eyes softened before he turned and began to walk away. His hands were still in his pockets. He stood straight as he walked, confidently. The boy's face contorted in confusion.

"Oi! What's going on!" He screeched.

Oh yes. This definitely was Yuusuke.

"Sorry, but I cannot get captured just yet." Kurama muttered just before slipping into the darkness of the trees once more.

I was infuriated. That was an understatement. My plan was falling apart right before my eyes. I'd kill KoEnma for sending YUUSUKE of all people after us and then strangle Kurama for abandonment.

"Matte, Kurama! We're not done talking to you either!"

I jumped into the air and disappeared from the area. Unbeknownst to Gouki and Yuusuke, I landed on a high tree branch, not too far from them, to watch as the battle began to unfold.

"Hey, come on! Here someone's gone through the trouble of dropping in on you!" Yuusuke paused and raised his fist. "They aren't very polite!"

That damn chuckle came from Gouki again. I wish I had taken the chance to slice out his vocal cords and chosen a different partner.

"Don't be disappointed. I've got better manners than them. If you want my treasure, you're free to try and take it away from me by force!"

"Heh! You've got guts! Don't go pulling any scared faces, now!"

Gouki walked towards Yuusuke. I tensed slightly. I worried for him. Somehow, Yuusuke had embedded a parental component in me without my realizing. I sat down on the branch, watching as Yuusuke willed himself not to back away from the giant ogre Gouki. I was curious as to what Yuusuke could and would do. He had to have some ability if he was the Reikai Tantei.

"However, you'll have to wait until I've had my fill." Gouki stated as he pulled out the Gakidama.

That idiot thought with his stomach. It was going to be his downfall. I could already see all the possible ways to kill him with it. A small smirk passed over my face as I continued to watch. Yuusuke seemed slightly surprised.

"The Gakidama!"

"This ball is quite convenient. It draws in human spirits for me. The body is foul-tasting and inedible, see? If you don't finish it quickly, there's a big fuss and it gets to be a pain. On that point, the Gakidama settles things simply. It allows me to eat all the fresh spirits I ever want to!" He explained as he pulled out yet another spirit from the Gakidama.

"Is that the spirit of the child who just collapsed?"

"It's been so long. . ."

"Why you! Spit that out!"

Yuusuke's leg came up and his knee drove deep into Gouki's stomach. In Gouki's surprise, the child's spirit escaped his lips.

"You bastard!" Yuusuke yelled.

Yuusuke's fist found Gouki's face. Gouki fell to the ground. It wasn't enough to defeat Gouki of course, but it was impressive coming from a human. Yuusuke had indeed come a long way in four years.

"He's not as tough as he looks. Looks like the spirit is safely returning to that child. Two more to go, then?" He whispered while retrieving the gakidama.

He didn't notice Gouki's aura behind him until he began to talk. Yuusuke immediately jumped away from him.

"You do pretty well for a human."

"Don't overdo it! I clobbered you pretty hard! It should be all you can do to stand up!"

Gouki began to change in front of his very eyes. I smirked. My how interesting this is becoming. Gouki didn't transform for humans. Yuusuke watched in slight horror. It shouldn't have come as much as a surprise to him. He had seen a demonic transformation before. Unless, of course, he had repressed it. Traumatic events were so often lost in human minds.

_"You've gotta be kidding!"_

Gouki's eyes narrowed. A predator's gaze. He stuck without warning, cutting through Yuusuke's shirt and making him fly back.

"How come I gotta fight this monster! KoEnma, you bastard!"

Whining already Yuusuke? That's not Reikai Tantei material.

"You ran away quickly, huh?"

Yuusuke was hit hard with an uprooted tree. The Gakidama rolled out of his hand as he hit the ground.

"That's right! If I use my rei-gun. . ."

Rei-gun? He wasn't as weak and hopeless as I thought. Maybe I wouldn't have to step in and help him. A moment passed. A look of pure frustration passed over Yuusuke's face.

"No good, it won't glow!" He paused and muttered. "Oh yeah! I've already used it today!"

"Do you know what the most flavorful spices you can add to spirits are?" Gouki was walking toward him slowly. "They are pain and terror!"

_"I'm really going to get killed here!"_ I heard his thoughts.

I rose slowly and disappeared from the area. I didn't want to see anymore. I had to follow through with my plans. Gouki was going to lose sooner or later and Kurama would give his up willingly once he was finished with whatever plan he had concocted. Yuusuke shouldn't be plaguing my thoughts as much as he was now. It was obvious by his absence of reaction when he 'stumbled' upon us that he didn't remember me as vividly as I remembered him. We would have a confrontation soon. I'd get to test his strength and he could see mine in the fullest. Just how much had Yuusuke grown in four years? To think, if my plans succeeded, I was going to let him be the only human to remain alive and happy. It's strange how one little encounter changed my entire layout.

* * *

**A/N:** So that's it for now. As I'm sure many of you are aware, there is a sequel to this fic. It's, in my opinion, a lot more well-written than this. Of course, you're always welcome to disagree.


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